Tag Archive for film festival

Rewind This! traces the history and reception of VHS tapes, interviewing collectors, retailers, and filmmakers for their personal insights and expertise. VHS launched an entertainment revolution by allowing consumers to watch films at home and record live tv, as well as offering new opportunities for studios and indie filmmakers who launched the direct-to-video market. It changed the movie industry, the porn industry, and the film retail industry, and united communities of movie buffs with video swap and bootleg programs.

With a title like Big Ass Spider! it’s hard not to giggle, and luckily it turns out this movie has a bit more to offer than just a silly name. Our story begins with exterminator extraordinaire Alex Mathis (Greg Grunberg), who lands in the emergency room after a spider bite and soon finds himself hired by the hospital to track down a gigantic spider that’s attacked a coroner. He teams up with security guard Jose (Lombardo Boyar) to catch the beast but in short time the government steps in, led by Major Braxton Tanner (Ray Wise).

BUFF does this thing where they unearth tremendous 80s schlock to include with their newer genre offerings, and because of them Cambridge received the gift of Samurai Cop last week. It’s a gift that keeps on giving, really, as I reflect on it. With production values cheaper than my rent and almost as many unnecessary sex scenes as The Room, the film follows titular police officer Joe Marshall (Matt Hannon) as he half-heartedly tries to cut down the yakuza dealing in Los Angeles.

Seen: At the Egyptian Theater in Seattle, part of the Seattle International Film Festival. A thing about me is I have a lot of trouble not finishing a movie (or book, for that matter). I have very rarely walked out…

This review is part of my coverage of the 2011 Toronto After Dark Film Festival, taking place October 20-27 at the Toronto Underground Cinema. For more information, check out their website. For my full coverage go here. Though I missed…